Gunman, Holding Wife Hostage Outside WSECU Branch, Shot by Police

LAKEWOOD, Wash. — A gun-wielding man involved in a domestic dispute outside a branch of Washington State Employees CU was shot by police and is in critical condition today in a local hospital.

Police said the 48-year-old suspect, whose name has not been released, had arrived at the credit union to meet with his wife in an effort to resolve financial issues; the couple is reportedly separated. The man came to the meeting with a semi-automatic handgun, according to police, and then used it to hold his wife hostage.

Police, responding to calls from people both inside and outside the credit union's office, responded and used a hostage negotiator to attempt to get the man to release his hostage and surrender the weapon, but the effort was unsuccessful. When the man attempted to leave the branch with his wife held at gunpoint he was shot twice by police. No one else was injured.

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